Healthcare workers conduct routine health examinations for employees in HCM City. Authorities have required all public agencies and institutions to complete periodic health check-ups for their employees by October 31. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City authorities have ordered agencies and public institutions to complete periodic health examinations for all officials, civil servants, public employees and workers under their management by October 31 as part of the city's universal health screening programme.

The requirement was set out in a directive signed on July 30 by Vice Chairman of the city People's Committee Nguyễn Mạnh Cường and sent to municipal departments, agencies, public service units, the Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones, and administrations of wards, communes and special zones.

The directive requires agencies and units to ensure all employees undergo health examinations on schedule, targeting 100 per cent coverage by the deadline.

The Management Board of Export Processing and Industrial Zones has been tasked with urging businesses in export processing zones and industrial parks to prepare examination plans, select qualified healthcare providers and complete the programme within the required timeframe.

The health examination package must comply with regulations issued by the Ministry of Health and the municipal Department of Health for adults aged 18 and above. Organising units are not permitted to remove required examination items or substitute them with non-equivalent services.

Under current regulations, the examination package comprises three components: physical assessment, clinical examination and laboratory and diagnostic tests.

In addition to reviewing medical history and measuring height, weight, body mass index and vital signs, participants will undergo specialist examinations and routine tests, including complete blood counts, blood glucose, liver and kidney function tests, urinalysis and chest X-rays.

Female employees will also receive gynaecological examinations and counselling on early screening for breast and cervical cancers.

"Ensuring all examination items are conducted will provide a more comprehensive assessment of health conditions, helping detect risk factors and diseases early rather than checking only several individual indicators," the directive said.

Health examination results will be uploaded to the Community Health Management Platform to establish electronic health records.

Organisations conducting the examinations must report the results to the municipal Department of Health within three days of completion.

The electronic records will include basic personal information such as name, gender, date of birth, citizen identification number, health insurance number, residential address, workplace and telephone number.

The city said the information must be collected and managed in accordance with personal data protection requirements.

According to the city government, the programme is intended to improve early detection of risk factors and non-communicable diseases while expanding electronic health records as part of a broader population health management system.

The examinations form part of the city's 2026 universal health screening programme, including a 150-day campaign involving hospitals and healthcare facilities across the city.

Between July 20 and 26, the city recorded 263,327 health examination visits, the highest weekly total since the programme began more than two months ago.

More than 1.07 million people have so far undergone health examinations and had electronic health records created. — VNS